by Saless
Chapter 37

The cleric seemed exhausted from the spell that killed the other monster. The wizard fired off more magical projectiles at the remaining monster, but they were as ineffectual as before. With one bound it was at the wizards throat, killing him instantly. Sarah took a chance and fired another fireball at the creature. The explosion threw them all to the ground and Sarah's skin felt like she'd been laying out in the hot sun all day. When she regained her feet she saw that the cleric was chanting something and the creature was already back on its feet.

The cleric's chanting ended and a magical blast hit the creature in the head, stunning it. The cleric fell to his knees wearily and looked hopelessly at Sarah. 'Go' he mouthed to her, just before the creature's fangs sank into his shoulder. Sarah stared in horror for a moment, then turned and fled.

A scream of pain followed her, only to be cut short. Then she heard the pounding of the creatures paws as it chased after her. She ran frantically. The creature was quickly catching up with her and she turned and fired off another fireball while simultaneously opening a portal. The blast was more powerful than she expected and she was thrown bodily through her own portal. Her head hit something on the other side and she blacked out.

When Jill didn't return, Mike and Erica became worried. Mike tried to convince her to stay behind while he checked on Jill, but Erica was as stubborn as Sarah could be and refused. Sighing in resignation he'd walked with Erica over to Sarah's apartment. The door was locked, but Mike had his key and opened it. When Mike saw the book lying on the floor he knew what must have happened, though he assumed that Jill went with Sarah. As Erica went looking for Sean, Mike picked up the book and looked at the title. He didn't recognize it, so he read the synopsis on the back. Frowning, he absently set the book on the bookshelf. This is a rather dark story, by the looks of things. I hope they're alright. he thought.

"Are you in there Sean?" he heard Erica call out. He followed her voice and found her at the door to Sarah's bathroom. The door was closed and locked, but light was coming through around the edges of the door.

"Uh…Sean's not here right now." Someone called out in reply. Mike was surprised, as it didn't sound like anyone he knew.

"Who are you?" Mike asked curiously.

"Uh, hi Mike, it's uh…Jack." The person in the bathroom replied.

Mike was confused, as this person obviously knew him. It's me, Mike, Sarah changed me. he heard Jill's thoughts in his mind in her normal mental voice. His eyes widened in surprise and he realized that Sarah was in that world all by herself!

"Uh, Erica, maybe you'd better wait in Sa…Sean's room." Mike suggested hesitantly.

Erica's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What's going on here, Mike? Who is that in the bathroom, and where is Sean? And Jill, for that matter?" she demanded.

We have to tell her, everything. Jill told him.

Great. he thought sarcastically. "Uh, Erica, I think you should sit down for this one." Mike said weakly.

Just then the bathroom door opened and Jill stepped out, wrapped in a large towel. Her dress was covered by it, so that it looked like she wasn't wearing any clothes at all. "Hi Erica, I really think you'll want to sit down for this like Mike suggested." She said in a deep voice that upset Mike to hear almost as much as it upset Jill.

Erica looked at them both suspiciously, but followed them into the living room and sat in the recliner and waited for their explanation. Mike and Jill sat on the couch, though not nearly as close as they usually would. "Okay, let's hear it." She said in a commanding tone.

Mike and Jill exchanged uncomfortable glances and Mike said, "Well, some really weird things have happened in the last three weeks. Remember those dreams Sean was having?"

Erica frowned, "Yes, I remember. What do they have to do with anything?"

"Sean wasn't dreaming. He was physically in those places he dreamed about." Mike explained. Erica was about to say something but Mike held his hand up to stop her. "Let me finish. He brought a couple of things back with him from those dreams. A very large white feather, and a sword. I think the feather's in our apartment, but the sword is here." He stood up and walked over to the closet where he had left the sword after their last adventure. He picked it up and handed it to Erica. She drew the sword part way out of the sheath and frowned at the scratches and nicks in the blade.

"I don't see how you could think this proves anything!" she said in irritation.

"Mike, show her." Jill said softly. Your naga form is small enough to use here. She's not going to believe in magic without seeing it. she added mentally.

Sighing, Mike moved to the largest open area of the room and shifted to naga form. It was difficult without having Sarah there with him, but he still managed it. Mostly by thinking of her in that other world all by herself. "This is one of the things that has changed while you've been gone. We've all gained new abilities. I can shape shift." He said, careful not to let his tail knock anything down.

Erica just sat there with her mouth gaping open in shock for several long moments. Finally, she shook herself and approached Mike. He held still while she touched his tail. "This can't be real…" she said in disbelief.

"It is. The first ability to surface was Sean's ability to open portals to other worlds. After the fourth dream he started opening them when he read a book or watched some movies. He didn't have any control over it at first, but he's become quite adept at it, now. However, one of our early trips ran us afoul of Venus. She got annoyed with us and tried to curse us. I think it was aimed at Jill, but I pushed her through the portal Sean opened and was about to follow her. If not for Sean, the curse would have hit me. He pushed me into the portal and out of the way of the curse, but it hit him instead." Mike said.

Erica looked at him worriedly, then glanced over at Jill. "You're not going to tell me that is Sean, are you?" she asked.

"No," Jill answered, "I'm Jill."

"I don't believe it." Erica replied stubbornly.

"It's true, that's Jill. The curse turned Sean into a girl. Shortly afterwards she discovered she could change anyone's gender but her own with a touch. I'm guessing she got into an argument with Jill after she told her about you being here, and Sarah changed Jill's gender and opened a portal to another world." Mike replied.

"Pretty much." Jill agreed. "She was intent on trying again to find a way back before you could see her. I tried to stop her, so she slapped me and changed me into this." she explained with disgust at her new form.

"You really expect me to believe that you're Jill, Sean's a girl, and he's in some other world trying to change back?!" Erica exclaimed incredulously.

"Is that so hard to believe, considering what you're seeing right now?" Mike asked, gesturing towards his long serpentine tail.

"It's just a trick!" Erica said dismissively. "Why are you telling me these ridiculous stories?"

She's not going to believe us until she sees Sarah for herself, and what she can do. I suggest we get dinner going as Sarah will probably be hungry. Jill thought to Mike.

Mike nodded and said, "Why don't we get dinner going? We're obviously not going to get this settled until Sean gets back." Erica nodded wearily. Jill went into the kitchen and put the chicken in the oven and put the rest of the dinner Sarah had planned on the stove.

Despite Jill's assessment, Mike used the time to try and convince Erica of the truth. She stubbornly refused to believe that Mike's naga form was real, even when she saw him change back and forth several times. I've tried to talk to her, but she's even harder to read than Sarah. Jill told him.

The meal was cooking nicely, so Jill returned to the living room to wait for Sarah. She'd been stuck in male form for a few hours by the time a portal finally opened. She sighed in relief, knowing she'd soon be herself again. Her relief was short lived, however, as Sarah flew backwards through the portal, followed by a blast of hot air and flame, and hit the wall, falling unconscious to the floor.